Religion in Finland

Finland is a predominantly Christian nation where 65.2% of the Finnish population of 5.6 million are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (Protestant),^[1] 32.0% are unaffiliated, 1.1% are Orthodox Christians, 0.9% are other Christians and 0.8% follow other religions like Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, folk religion etc.^[2] These statistics do not include, for example, asylum seekers who have not been granted a permanent residence permit.^[3]

There are two national churches (as opposed to state churches): the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (Protestant), which is the primary religion representing 65.2% of the population by the end of 2022,^[2] and the Finnish Orthodox Church, to which about 1.1% of the population belongs.^[4]^[5]^[2] Those who officially belong to one of the two national churches have part of their taxes turned over to their respective church (approximately 1-2% of income).^[6]

There are also approximately 44,000 followers of Pentecostal Christianity,^[7] and more than 12,000 Catholic Christians in Finland, along with Anglicans, and some various Independent Christian communities. Prior to its Christianisation, beginning in the 11th century, Finnish paganism was the country's primary religion.

^ "State church sees net loss of membership in 2019". 28 January 2020. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference statfin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Statistics Finland. "Statistics Finland – About statistics – Population structure". Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
^ "Kolme neljästä suomalaisesta kuuluu luterilaiseen kirkkoon". HS.fi (in Finnish). Sanoma. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
^ "Kirkon väestötilasto 2012". ORT.fi (in Finnish). Suomen ortodoksinen kirkko. 23 January 2012. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
^ "Finland". Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
^ "Helluntaiseurakuntien jäsenmäärä pienimmillään 25 vuoteen". suomenhelluntaikirkko.fi (in Finnish). Suomen helluntaikirkko. 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2023.

[1] "State church sees net loss of membership in 2019". 28 January 2020. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2020.

[statfin-2] Cite error: The named reference statfin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[3] Statistics Finland. "Statistics Finland – About statistics – Population structure". Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.

[4] "Kolme neljästä suomalaisesta kuuluu luterilaiseen kirkkoon". HS.fi (in Finnish). Sanoma. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.

[5] "Kirkon väestötilasto 2012". ORT.fi (in Finnish). Suomen ortodoksinen kirkko. 23 January 2012. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.

[US2022-6] "Finland". Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.

[7] "Helluntaiseurakuntien jäsenmäärä pienimmillään 25 vuoteen". suomenhelluntaikirkko.fi (in Finnish). Suomen helluntaikirkko. 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2023.

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